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DIY Spring Launcher "with a Twist" (continued)
Teaching Tips:
This teacher guide assumes that students have already learned projectile motion and conservation of mechanical energy,
however the activity could be modified to focus on the connection between kinetic and potential energy (try launching the
spring straight up and measure its height), or even a capstone challenge for projectile motion (try having students calibrate their
springs to launch with a specific velocity to hit a target).
You may wish to give the students a small piece of spare filament so they can get the hang of using the pen before attempting
to construct their spring, however a limited supply of filament is an important factor in this activity—students should have to
compare the trade-offs of having more coils vs. thicker coils, etc. Providing a piece of wood dowel to each group may help
students construct smooth, even coils and avoid irregularities that could confound the launch results.
Try discussing the engineering design process, and the relationship between science and engineering, throughout the lesson—
as an introduction, and in conversation with student groups while they work. Students might not intuitively know that they're
thinking like an engineer and applying scientific principles unless you say it. Ask questions like:
• If you could make another spring, how would you change your design, and why?
• How could you make your spring fly even farther without changing the design at all?
• Why might someone want a spring that could store a large amount of potential energy? Why might they want one that
doesn't store very much energy?
• How did you use the equations we've been learning to help you decide on a design for your spring?
• How did the constraint of only having a certain amount of filament affect your design decisions?
• If you could use another kind of material to construct your spring, how would you evaluate which material you
wanted to use?
Find materials for this activity at wardsci.com.
Discover more free activities at wardsworld.com